2 Ingredients to Watch for Under Your Christmas Tree!

Today I was reminded of why I started making skin care products - even the "natural" companies, aren't living up to their promises! In my mailbox today I found a newsletter (more like a newsPAPER!) from one of the biggest commercial companies toting the natural vibe. Now although this big company (that starts with an "L" and ends in an "H"), makes products that are better than a lot of what's available out there, they are still using two ingredients (in the majority their products) that are on most "dirty dozen" lists of ingredients to avoid.

I previously talked in length about one of those ingredients, parabens, in a previous blog post. A summery of their danger is that they mimic hormones and are readily absorbed into our skin. You'll find these at the end of the "Big L's" ingredients lists for many of their products.

The second shameful ingredient that the big L adds to pretty much anything that bubbles, suds, or fizzes, is SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate). I'm sure I've mentioned this problem ingredient on many occasions but since I don't have a blog post summarizing what it is and why you'll want to avoid it, now is the time! The last thing we all want is to start a new year bathing and soaking in chemicals! Without further a do, here's what makes SLS so shameful!

What Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are:

They are forming agents in the most basic terms. They create bubbles, form, and clean. They are some of the most widely used sulfates because they cheap. The almighty dollar strikes again. You'll find these sulfates in all kinds of bath and body products including bath bombs (the big L is notorious for SLS in their bath bombs), shampoo, body wash, bubble bars (I've never seen one made without SLS or SLES), tooth paste, dish soap, bubble bath, shaving cream, etc. SLES is said to be the milder of the two, but its effects seem to be much more long lasting.

Why they should be avoided:

• Concentrations as low as 0.5% can cause irritation.
• Concentrations of 10-30% can cause skin corrosion!
• Rashes, scalp scabs, canker sores, dry skin patches
• Color stripping
• Stripes shine from hair
• Penetrates skin easily and can't be metabolized by our liver
• Possible endocrine disruptors
• Not just skin and scalp irritants, they are also eye irritants
• Contamination with 1,4 dioxane (cancer causing)

How to spot them on labels:

They will be listed exactly how I've listed them in this post (minus the abbreviation):

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Today's take away:

Read labels! It's the only way to see through marketing hype to know if you're getting a natural, safe, skin loving product, or you're getting something that seems wondering but actually contains cancer causing ingredients! Again, watch out for any ingredient ending in -paraben, and watch out for Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate

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Video: Happy Canada Day Plus What You Need to Know About Sunscreen

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!

Original Blog Post:
What You Need to Know About Sunscreen

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What You Need to Know About Sunscreen

The signs of summer have certainly shown themselves lately. Over the past few weeks I've been asked more times than I can count about natural sunscreen; mainly, "Do you make natural sunscreen or know where I can get a good natural sunscreen that isn't gross?"

After a lot of consideration, a discussion the fan page, and mulling it over with a close friend, I've decided NOT to make natural sunscreen, at least not for sale. I'll be making it for myself and my fiance, but I decided not to offer it for sale mostly because of the regulations AND my fear that with a natural sunscreen in hand some people will throw everything they know about being "sun safe" out the window. That scares me more than anything!

So if you can't get a natural sunscreen from Batty's Bath, what should you look for? Well, I'm going to answer that question by informing you on what to look for in a natural sunscreen and what to watch for (i.e. run away from)! There's a few ingredients in "chemical" sunscreen, and sunscreens claiming to be "pure" or "natural" that you need to learn so you can steer clear of them! Let's get started...

First up, the good guys...

When looking for a natural sunscreen look for ingredients that protect you from the sun by physically blocking & deflecting the sun's UVA and UBA rays. These include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. One thing to note though when looking for sunscreen with either of these two natural ingredients is making sure that they are not used in nano form. What does nano form mean? Well Nanoparticles are very controversial right now. It refers to the size of the actual minerals and at the smallest size, they can penetrate the skin easily. Because of this, some experts are concerned about particles entering the body and accumulating in body tissue or getting into place they shouldn't be (for example, your cells). So what do you need to now to avoid purchasing a product that could have nanoparticles? First you need to know that you want the particles to be larger than 100 nanoparticles. If the packaging or description doesn't say, ask!

Next up, the bad guys.....

This is not one of those times when going after the "bad boy" isn't as exciting as it was when you were teenager! In fact, playing around with these "bad boys" can have much more serious effects than a good cry over a tub of ice cream! This group of ingredients are found in chemical sunscreens and protect you from the sun by absorbing UV rays before they have a chance to damage your skin. When looking for this list of bad boys, check out any products with "SPF" on the label, especially if they don't mention that it is a mineral or physical blocker that's protecting you. So who are the bad boys? Without further ado, here's how you'll find them on an ingredients list: padimate-O (PABA), benzophenone (oxybenzone), homosalate, and octylmethoxycinnamate (octinoxate).

So what makes these ingredients so bad?

First, padimate-O (PABA) is a physical blocker (not a bad thing) but it is also a suspected carcinogen. Second, Oxybenzone (benzophenone) has shown endocrine disruption in animals, although the relevancy of this finding is debated as some experts claim that it doesn't enter the human bloodstream in any meaningful way. Third, the remaining ingredients are suspected of messing with hormones. Yikes!

So why care about the effects of the sun in the first place?
According the Canadian Cancer Society, "Natural sunlight is important for good health. But too much exposure to the sun’s rays can cause skin cancer and eye problems. Being safe in the sun can go a long way in protecting yourself and your family. There is no safe way to get a tan. Tanning beds and sun lamps are not a safe alternative. The more you use tanning beds and sun lamps, the greater your risk of getting skin cancer." - Canadian Cancer Society Website.

So we're not talking about the difference between being pretty in pale, and being tremendously tanned, ... we're talking about keeping you safe from too much sun exposure that causes skin cancer! If you haven't taken this seriously in the past, this is the year to start!

Hoping to see all you lovelies the same shade this summer as you were this winter ;)

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My Week So Far: It's a Batty Life

Drew and I had a great weekend off! It was nice to have the time to go around to some of my fav spots, run errands, and enjoy each others company! The picture to the left is from our Value Village haul!! We found LOTS of goodies which was a surprise because it was close to noon and usually all the best things are picked over by then on a Sat. We lucked out and I scored more cookie jars to store bath bombs in, plus a polaroid camera!! I always look at the camera section but usually there isn't anything there other than a few old point and shoot film cameras so this was an exciting find! I have another polaroid camera around here somewhere but I haven't been able to find it! I'm hoping that when ever we move it will turn up! I can't wait to get some film and test my "new" polaroid camera out!!

I totally jumped for joy when Drew pointed out the light up jack-o-lantern that was buried at the back of a shelf!!! Halloween finds are the ULTIMATE thrifting treasure to me, especially something as cool, big, and in great shape as this jack-o-lantern!! He's now in his new home on our microwave along with some creepy decor :) Oh, and what's that orange and black fabric you ask? Well it's a dress!!! I rarely look through the clothing, and almost never find something I like (or is in my size) when I do look but I spotted this from a few rows away!! I had to run over and see what the black & orange garment was.. and long behold it was an awesome cord dress! I'll be sporting this fab find SOON! ;)

On Monday night I stayed over at my parent's place because I had a couple of doctor appointments in my hometown. My first appointment was a bone density scan to see if I can stay on one of my medications or need to figure out an alternative plan of action. The second was an eye appointment because I've noticed that my left eye has really gotten blurry over the last few months. My left eye has always had vision that was less than perfect, but I would only really notice when I was tired. Now I notice all the time. Last time I was the eye doctor I could read the second last line of the random letters "test" with my left eye, and on Monday I couldn't even read the top one - even when she increased the size! It turns out that prescription lenses wouldn't make a difference and she couldn't figure out why I was having this drastic change in my vision so I'm being referred to a specialist. Hopefully I don't have to wait a super long time to get in but I was warned it could be at least 2 months before I could see anyone. Let's hope my vision doesn't continue to get worse in that time! Between appointments I took my parent's dog - Shadow - for a walk. This dog LIVES for walks like no other dog I've known! He's the laziest bum ever until it's time for a walk lol. And that's saying a lot because I have 2 senior dogs and a greyhound mix who thinks she's a senior lol! I love walking Shadow because he never pulls and knows exactly how long the lease is (so he'll run with in that distance and then do a quick turn or stop when he knows he's near the end lol). We even stopped to enjoy a random patch of tulips that had sprouted on someone's lawn. It was nice! During our walk I notice how QUIET it is in small town. I grew up there but since being in a bigger city, I've forgotten. It's always lots of noise where we live - cars, people, buses, lawnmowers, dogs, etc. When I was walking shadow I could actually here his footsteps, a bird chirping, and two kids talking on the other end of the street! It was surreal and makes me want to move out of the city that much more!

Monday night and Tuesday were spent in the studio and packing up orders. I got lots of restocking done but still need to do a lot of labeling (the plan for tonight). Tuesday night I took my weekly needle which sometimes knocks me out for a day or two and sometimes just makes me a bit tired. This week was definitely the former because within an hour of taking it I was in bed and didn't have the energy to get out of bed again until this morning. I'm behind in my work schedule by a day now and am trying to catch up although I don't totally feel up to par. My pain level is quiet high and it's making it difficult to concentrated, and even though I'm sleepy, the pain keeps me from having a nap. Blah. I'm hoping for a boost of energy to catch up and a boost of energy to help me cope a bit better with this back pain. I'm thinking a soak in the tub is in order!

• This Saturday Batty's Bath will be at the Handmade Festival at the Central Library in London, ON from 10am - 4pm.
• New Release: Mild Unscented Facial Scrub
• New Release: Buttercream Icing Solid Perfume
• New Release: Sun & Sand Cologne
• New Release: Fabulous Foot Scrub (updated formula!)
• Contest: There's still time to enter the current blog contest! Click here!

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Vitamin Deficiency and Your Skin

Although taking your vitamins doesn't mean you'll never need to wash your face or exfoliate again, making sure you're not deficiency in particular vitamins & minerals can definitely go a long way in helping your skin care routine. Combined with the good old basics of skin care, proper nutrition could give your skin the boost it needs!

Here are some common symptoms of mineral and vitamin deficiency:

• Acne: Acne lesions can be triggered by deficiencies in vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, biotin, and zinc.

• Dry Skin: Focus on the proper intake of vitamins A and C, which will replenish and rejuvenate your skin from the inside out.

• Oily Skin: This is a similar symptom to acne breakouts and lesions, but if your skin is excessively oily, it is best to focus on your vitamin B2 intake. This is a common deficiency that can cause oiliness in the complexion, often creating painful acne lesions or making it difficult for your makeup to stay on all day long.

• Rosacea: Rosacea is exacerbated by a vitamin B2 deficiency. Having a proper vitamin B2 intake will work to balance complexion and prevent the redness and swelling that is so common with a rosacea flareup.

• Stretch Marks: If you want to minimize stretch marks in your skin, focus on vitamins E and B6, as well as an ample intake of zinc.

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Dead Sea Salt: Is it really better?

Today we take a look at one of the ingredients I use in my B&B products: Dead Sea salt!

Dead Sea Salt refers to salt extracted or taken from the Dead Sea. It is a popular ingredient of many common bath products including bath salts, salt scrubs, foot scrubs, body wraps, bath bombs, soaps, and a wide variety of other cosmetic products, including makeup.... but is it all it's cracked up to be? It appears so!

Dead Sea salts have been reported to have the following benefits:

• Rheumatologic Conditions – Dead Sea salts can be effective in balneotherapy of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Osteoarthritis. The minerals are absorbed while soaking, stimulating blood circulation.
• Common Skin Ailments – Research has demonstrated that skin disorders such as acne and psoriasis are relieved by regular soaking in water with added Dead Sea salt. The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends Dead Sea and Dead Sea salts as effective treatments for psoriasis. One study concluded that the high concentration of magnesium in Dead Sea salt was instrumental in improving skin hydration and reducing inflammation. Another study conducted at the University of Negev, Israel also looked into the claims of Dead Sea Salt and found that although common salt provides benefits to psoriasis suffers, Dead Sea Salt does a slightly better job at reducing it's symptoms (when soaking it salt baths regularly).
• Allergies - The high concentration of bromide and magnesium in the Dead Sea salt can relieve allergic reactions by cleansing and detoxifying.
• Skin Aging – Further research into Dead Sea salt benefits has shown a 40% reduction in the depth of wrinkling.

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Easy Green & Natural Polisher You Can Do at Home!

Although I've never tried it myself, I've read that pineapple is natural skin polisher that comes with a clinical proof of efficiency! Apparently, just rubbing your skin with a slice of pineapple works magic on dilated pores and minor skin flakiness.

So what is it about pineapple that makes it so special? Bromelain! Pineapples have an abundance of this enzyme that is clinically used as a skin debrider (dead tissue remover) when treating burns.

Additionally, I found out that in a study done by the University of Honolulu, the researchers found that bromelain interferes with growth of malignant cells (essentially slowing down the growth of these malignant cells ) while also decreasing inflammation! Now that's some sweet stuff :)

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Natural Focus: Herbs That Help with Anxiety

Passionflower - an ingredient that is often used in natural medicine, alleviates hyperactivity, anxiety, insomnia, nervous tension -- and is even sometimes used to treat Parkinson's Disease. Passion flower soothes and calms and can lower high blood pressure.

Lemon balm - a general restorative for the nervous system, can reduce blood pressure and also calm the digestive system.

Lavender - an excellent anxiety treatment and one of the best natural panic attack treatments. Lavender is a general tonic for the nervous system and a natural relaxant.

Valerian - a popular natural ingredient that can be used as a sedative and a painkiller. It is often effectively employed as a treatment for anxiety and for insomnia, as well.



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Why Your Eyes Get Puffy

Awakening to puffy, swollen eyes is frustrating, especially when you know there’s no simple 10-minute solution that will get you out the door looking brand new. Puffiness or bags under the eyes can be caused by several factors: fluid retention, irritation causing inflammation, loss of skin firmness and elasticity as we age, allergies, eye disorders secondary to medical disorders, fat deposits, and fatigue. Several of these triggers come from poor sleep.

Excess fluid (edema) under the eye is one of the major causes of eye “puffiness,” and an increase in blood pressure is the likely culprit for many as a direct consequence to sleep deprivation. An elevated blood pressure causes vessels to constrict and invite fluid retention. Many of the known sleep disorders can also cause excess fluid or edema to occur not only in the eye area but in several parts of the body.

Is it possible for a person with retained fluid to reduce that baggage and puffiness under the eyes with getting a good night’s sleep over time? Certainly. And if you can reduce the fluid retention, you’ll also change the surrounding tissues for the better, especially since the accumulated excess fluid in the under-eye area may cause additional inflammation and swelling.

Medical conditions can also change the appearance of the eye, particularly thyroid problems like hypothyroidism (which can also be linked to sleep apnea). For most, however, getting enough sleep is all that’s necessary. Avoiding excess alcohol will also alleviate eye bags (as well as disrupted sleep!).

Attention allergy sufferers : Those with allergies typically have issues with puffy, inflamed eyes. They also face the challenge of getting quality sleep when bothered by allergies during the night. Sometimes taking anti-histamines can help to reduce baggy eyes, but this can come with a hefty price-tag because these medications can cause daytime sleepiness. What’s worse, the act of coughing and sneezing itself can cause forced air to escape through the sinuses. This, in turn, pushes air behind the fat pockets under the eyes, which then causes those fat pockets to protrude forward. Ask your doctor how best to manage your allergies so they don’t interfere with sleep, and neither does your medication.

{from Dr. Michael Breus, PhD, author of the book Good Night: The Sleep Doctor’s 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health.}

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Rosacea Skin Care

Wondering if You have Rosacea?
Rosacea is a frustrating skin condition that begins subtly, with the intermittent appearance of redness along the cheeks and nose. If left untreated, rosacea almost always worsens. Read More

Here are the signs to look for:

• Red flushing over the cheeks and nose
• Consistent, though random, and often extreme skin sensitivity
• Acne-like bumps (but the bumps are not acne)
• Flakey skin, sometimes accompanied by oily skin
• Visible tiny blood vessels that may become more noticeable over time
• Other concerns, which can still be present: dry skin, wrinkles, sun damage, and skin discolorations
• Almost anyone can get rosacea, but those affected most often are lighter skinned women. Men are less likely to have rosacea, but when they do, they have more noticeable problems, including swollen bumps along the nose called rhinophyma.

What causes rosacea?
Although the exact cause of rosacea is unknown, various theories about the disorder's origin have evolved over the years. Facial blood vessels dilate too easily, and the increased blood near the skin surface makes the skin appear red and flushed. Various things -- called trigger factors -- can increase this redness response. Acne-like bumps appear, often in the redder area of the central face. This may be due to factors related to blood flow, skin bacteria, microscopic skin mites (Demodex), irritation of follicles, sun damage of the connective tissue under the skin, an abnormal immune or inflammatory response, or psychological factors. None of these possibilities has been proven, although potential inflammatory pathways have been identified in recent ongoing research -- including an immune response triggered by a type of antimicrobial protein known as cathelicidin. A recent study also found that certain bacteria present on otherwise harmless Demodex mites could prompt an inflammatory response in rosacea patients.



What You Should Eliminate from Your Skin-Care Routine:
If you have rosacea, it is critical that you eliminate the parts of your normal skin-care routine that increase inflammation, and make skin redder, such as the following:

• Harsh cleansers such as "beauty bars" that contain detergents
• Drying liquid or lotion cleansers (again, that contain detergents)
• Toners with alcohol and fragrance
• Abrasive scrubs
• Rough washcloths
• At-home facial peels
• Using too many products at the same time.

What to Eliminate: Specific Ingredients
Skin-care ingredients that make rosacea worse include the following, and, shockingly, they often show up in skin-care products whose labels claim they are specifically for those with rosacea:

• Fragrant plant extracts such as cinnamon, rosemary, lavender, and rose
• Some Synthetic fragrances
• Lemon, lime, menthol, peppermint, pine, and cedar
• Alcohol
• Witch hazel

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Acne: Adult Acne and Smoking

Most people assume that only teenagers and young adults should be concerned with acne. But that might not be so if you smoke.

In a recently published study in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology, acne was found to be more prevalent among women who smoke than among women who do not smoke. Smokers comprised 66.3 percent of the total group that was studied. Two types of acne were observed: comedonal post-adolescent acne (CPAA) and papulopustular post- adolescent acne (PPAA).

CPAA acne is a type of acne that consists of non-inflammatory issues like whiteheads and blackheads that mostly affect areas of the forehead, along the jaw-line, and chin. Of the smokers in the group studied, nearly 73 percent suffered from comedonal acne.

PPAA acne is acne that consists of inflammatory issues like pustules (zits that appear as red circles with white or yellow centers) and papules (small, red, and tender bumps with no head). Only 29.4 percent of the group actually suffered from papulopustular post-adolescent acne. Being a smoker seemed to increase comedonal acne (CPAA), while it had little effect on papulopustular acne (PPAA).

Another study published by the Dermato-Endocrinology Journal in 2009 found similar results. Out of 1000 women studied, 277 (27.7 percent) were smokers. Of those women who smoked, an astounding 42 percent had acne! Less than 10 percent of nonsmokers in the study suffered from acne.

Acne may be more prevalent in women who smoke due to an increase in sebum (oil) excretion and a decrease in vitamin E. Vitamin E is beneficial for skin health and overall complete health, so obviously a decrease in this vitamin can be bad news.

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Does Cranberry Juice Help With Urinary Tract Infections?

Cranberry juice has long had an anecdotal association with fighting urinary tract infections (UTI). UTI are largely the result of E. coli bacteria, which affix themselves and colonise the bladder and urinary system. Recent research has however confirmed how effective cranberry juice fights bacteria and infection at the molecular level.

The US-based Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) found that the little hooks which E. coli use to affix themselves to the lining of the urinary tract are susceptible to cranberry juice exposure, and lose their ability to attach effectively with extended exposure. This makes them more likely to be swept away with the passage of urine in the urinary tract. Furthermore their ability to attach was found to be directly related to the concentration of cranberry juice in the urine.

The bottom line: YES! Add cranberry juice to your regular diet but make sure it's the SUGAR FREE kind.

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Your Skin's Natural First Aid Kit

Keep these natural solutions on hand to treat minor injuries.

Cuts and scrapes

Tea-tree oil, lavender essential oil

Natural antiseptics, tea-tree oil and lavender essential oil can be directly applied to minor wounds to help prevent infection

Splinters

Banana peel

The enzymes in a banana peel help draw the splinter to the skin's surface, making removal with tweezers easy. Apply a small piece of peel pulp-side down and affix with a bandage; wear overnight.

Bruises

Arnica cream or tincture

Arnica is believed to increase circulation, helping the body clear blood from bruised skin. Apply topically to the affected area.

Minor burns

Aloe vera gel, chamomile tea, lavender essential oil

Aloe will cool burns and speed healing. A clean dressing soaked in cool chamomile tea will also ease inflammation. Lavender essential oil has been known to help minor burns; blend a few drops with an ounce of a neutral oil (like almond or olive), and apply topically.

Insect bites and stings

Mashed papaya and oatmeal

Papaya contains the enzyme papain; applied topically, it breaks down the proteins that cause itching. Spreading cooked oatmeal on the affected area will also ease the itch.

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Getting Enough Sleep is Worth it!

Many of you who know me well know I take my sleep seriously! After struggling with insomnia for over 10 years due to health complications, I'm finally able to sleep and I take advantage of that fact at every chance I get! I'm extremely blessed to be able to work from home on my own schedule because most of the time this allows me to sleep when I need to and for as long as I need to (I average 10 - 12 hours at a time!); this in turn helps me cope much better with the symptoms of AS & fibro that I experience on a daily basis. I know many of you don't have the luxury of being able to sleep as much as you would like - or even WHEN you would like - and I feel for you! I know how much better I feel when I can get a good night sleep (or in my case, a good day sleep!). I'm sure you've heard how important getting enough sleep is to your health but I wanted to share that importance with you again because I think it's especially important as we move into the busy holiday season. Please don't sell yourself short by skipping out on sleep! Not only will this impact your physical health, it can also be detrimental to your emotional health, your relationships, your work, and your overall happiness. If you're having problems sleeping, trust me, I've been there! There were a number of reasons that I experienced insomnia for so long and it took a long time to get each of those reasons figured out and dealt with, but I'm telling you, it was worth the continued fight and frustrating because the pay off of being able to sleep (and sleep well) is worth it's weight in gold! If you're having problems sleeping more often than not, I urge you to talk to your health care providers! It may take a while for them to figure out what's keeping you from dreamland, but stick with it and be an advocate for your own health! If you don't, nobody else will and please know that your physical and emotional well being is worth fighting for!

Sassy all tried out after last Halloween!

What Exactly is Sleep?

Physiologically speaking, sleep is the daily restful state all humans need to assume on a daily basis in order to replenish and live another day. It is a reduced state of motor activity in which consciousness of the surrounding world is suspended due to the diminished sensory stimulation response that occurs when a person lies down and closes their eyes.

Science has now revealed that sleep is fact a dynamic process in which the brain continues to work while we sleep. Some of these activities include:

• The production and release of certain proteins essential to growth (especially in children) and tissue repair.
• Replenishment to areas of the brain responsible for emotional and social functioning throughout the day.
• Helping the mind learn complicated tasks by retrieving knowledge potentially forgotten throughout the day.
• The preservation of emotional memories, whose components become unbound throughout the sleep process.

Brain Activity in Sleep

Brain activity plays an important role in the sleep cycle. It directs the chemicals responsible for nerve signaling (neurotransmitters) to act on nerve cells in different areas of the brain whether the person is asleep or not. These nerve cells (brain cells otherwise known as neurons) control sleep by inhibiting the other parts of the brain that keep an individual awake.

Princess & Drew catching a nap on the couch :)

5 Good Reasons to Get Enough Sleep

Memory and learning – the sleep cycle helps the brain in committing new information to memory via the process of memory consolidation. Scientific studies have also linked higher test results to students that had slept after learning the particular task being tested.

Weight and metabolism – a disturbed sleep cycle and chronic states of insomnia have been linked to a disturbance in metabolism and consequent weight gain. This can be attributed to its affect on appetite-controlling hormones and the ways in which carbohydrate is stored and processed.

Safety – daytime errors and mishaps such as falls, medical errors, air traffic mishaps and road accidents can statistically be linked to disturbed sleeping patterns prior to the event taking place.

Mood – a disturbed sleep cycle can cause an imbalanced amount of hormones and neurotransmitters, causing irritability, impatience, moodiness and concentration difficulty.Cardiovascular Health – Science has linked disrupted sleep and sleep disorders to conditions harmful to cardiovascular health, including irregular heartbeats and hypertension.

Disease – A lack of sleep directly affects the activity of the body’s killer cells and therefore depletes the body’s immune system. Recent studies have also shown good quality sleep patterns may play a part in the fight against cancer.

How Much Sleep is Enough?

Adults: 7-8 hours per night (although some adults may function better with 5-10 hours of sleep a night)

Teenagers: 9 hours per night

Infants: 16 hours throughout the course of the day and night.

Pregnant women: need increased amounts of sleep, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Noel using me as a pillow!

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Easy Ways to Relax and Combat Stress

Relaxation is important and being able to let go of the stress of everyday life and recharge is what can make the difference between striving and thriving! This is especially important as we head into the busiest time of year for most people - the Christmas season. If you're already feeling stressed out, it's particularly important for you to get a handle on that mental strain now before you feel completely overwhelmed and start looking for cave to hibernate in!

There are many different ways the body can relax and which one you choose will depend on the amount of time you have, what you are comfortable with and what you enjoy. Read on for some great relaxation methods.

1. Relax Your Muscles

One great way of relaxing the body is using progressive muscle relaxation. This is easy to do:

• While sitting quietly and comfortably, close your eyes and slowly breathe in and out.
• Bend your right hand back at the wrist, briefly hold it and relax.
• Do the same with the left wrist.
• Form fists with your hands, hold them and feel the tension spreading up towards the elbow before relaxing.
• Bend both arms up at the elbows and raise your hands towards your shoulders, tightening the biceps.
• Hold and then relax.
• To relax the face, first raise your eyebrows as high as you can, hold and relax.
• For the eyes, squeeze your eyelids shut, holding and then relaxing.
• For the jaw, just bite down, hold and relax.
• To relax the neck, bend your head forward, feeling the tension at the back of the neck and then relax.
• Raise your shoulders, hold them, drop them and relax.
• To relax the chest, you will need to take a deep breath and hold it while trying to touch your shoulder blades together by pulling your arms back.
• To relax the stomach, just pull it in, hold and relax.
• Relax the back by arching away from the chair and holding it for a bit before relaxing.
• The next step is to place your feet flat on the floor and press down to feel tension, holding it and then relaxing.
• For the thighs, raise first the right leg and hold it for a little before relaxing.
• Do the same for the left.
• To relax the feet, bend the toes up and then relax.
• Provided you have stayed calm and still, your body will continue to relax and your mind will follow. Think of pleasant places and things so that your mind does not wander back to more mundane thoughts and worries.

2. Play Music

Music is actually one of the most common ways for people to relax and de-stress themselves. There are specific types of music that are geared towards relaxation but all types of music are capable of helping you to relax. By listening to music that you enjoy, the sound receptors trigger the brain to release dopamine, which is associated with elevated mood and pleasure.

3. Reduce Stimulation

Too much stimulation can actually cause stress to the body and make it difficult for it to relax. This could be caffeine from tea, coffee or soft drinks, loud noises, sudden movements and so on. Cutting these out of your lifestyle and replacing them with healthy alternatives such as softer sounds, slower movements, and healthier water, herbal tea, and juices can keep your body on a quieter, more even keel.

4. Breathe Deeply - Batty's fav!

Deep breathing is actually one of the most important things that we can do to help our bodies to relax. By focusing on your breathing, your mind automatically starts to quieten. Deep breathing also helps you to get more oxygen into your body and expel more waste products, so you start to feel more invigorated. The extra oxygen also helps to reduce stress and makes you feel better.

5. Meditate

Meditation is extremely beneficial to the body, with relaxation being just one of the benefits. There are different types of meditation to choose from but in general, meditation is about calming and taming the mind, so that you are no longer thinking about stresses, anxieties and worries. It is about quieting the mind and dissolving stress. Meditation can be done anywhere whenever you have a few spare moments.

6. Do Gentle Exercise

Exercise not only helps with your physical fitness, it can also help you to relax as well. For exercise to be beneficial for relaxing, you don’t need to go on a long run or do be vigorous. Gentle exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling will help to release the body’s feel good chemicals called endorphins, reducing stress and leaving you on a natural high.

7. Look at your Lifestyle

Your lifestyle can actually have a significant effect on how stressed you are. If you are always going out to your next appointment or obligation, only grabbing takeaways when you have a few spare moments, and so on, your body becomes run down and finds it harder to deal with stress. Try having a few nights to yourself a week, where you can sit down and not have to be anywhere or answer to anyone. If you can’t manage a whole night, try to fit in an hour or two just to yourself. Eating a healthy diet filled with fresh vegetables, fruits, balanced proteins, and healthy carbohydrates can also be of tremendous benefit, strengthening the body and supporting the mind.

8. Think Positively

It may sound simplistic but thinking positively can make a huge difference to how stressed you feel and how relaxed you are overall. Negative emotions and thoughts can cause stress to build up in the muscles and make you feel on edge mentally. Thinking that you can instead of you can’t makes a whole lot of difference. You will feel better able to cope with the pressures of everyday life and your mood will be a lot lighter and happier. Another advantage of positive thinking is that putting out good things in the universe will tend to net you good things in return.

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Peppermint Sick Trick

In this video I share one of the tricks I've picked up during a previous flare up. I have Ankylosing Spondylitis as well as Fibromyalgia and have learned main ways to coping during a flare up of symptoms. In this video I share with you one of my tricks for dealing with a flare up of extreme fatigue caused by Fibro.

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*~*~*~* Helpful Links & Links Mentioned in the Video*~*~*~*

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS):
http://battysbath.blogspot.com/2010/0...

Fibromyalgia:
http://battysbath.blogspot.com/2010/0...

Batty's Bath on Etsy - http://battysbath.etsy.com
Where to get the product I mentioned in this video

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*~*~*~* Sound Clips in this Video Are From: *~*~*~*

Rodney Atkins - If You're Going Through Hell
Leona Lewis - Whatever it Takes
Taylor Swift - Fearless

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